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City back to normal after flash floods

A week has passed since Mt. Juliet was inundated with up to 5 inches of rain in about 24 hours, causing citywide flooding Aug. 8.

City Manager Kenneth Martin said the city has resumed normal business, and only a couple businesses in Valley Center are still closed as they try to dry out from water that seeped into the buildings.

Mid-morning Aug. 8, emergency management officials rescued a number of people from floodwaters over a two-hour period, according to Wilson Emergency Management Agency Director John Jewell.

“There were eight rescues,” he said. “Several from stalled cars with rising water and several from homes surrounded by water.”

Quick and heavy rains caused flash floods in numerous areas of Mt. Juliet. According to Mt. Juliet police spokesperson Sgt. Tyler Chandler, they started to receive calls of flooded roads around 6:30 a.m. At one point, a dozen roads were closed due to flash flooding.

The Valley Center on North Mt. Juliet Road was under water with several cars halfway submerged.

Several businesses in the strip center had water inside. However, Mt. Juliet Police Chief James Hambrick said he’s shopped this week at several businesses previously closed because of water damage.

“The proprietors said this recent flash flood was nothing like the damage caused in 2010 by severe flooding,” said Hambrick.

Jewell said the Lebanon Road area received the most amount of rain at 5.1 inches during last week’s rain event. Near south Interstate 40, 4.72 inches fell and 4.06 inches fell at Point Barton. In the Saundersville Ferry Road area, more than 3 inches of rain was recorded.

“We are just grateful nobody was hurt, and I think everyone did a phenomenal job with the rescues and closing the streets,” said Martin. “Things are back to normal now.”